Stopper for nonrefillable bottles



April 20, 1937. P. F. DENNING 2,077,517

STOPPER FOR NONREFILLABLE BOTTLES im W muli.

.52 /L7'' 6 72 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to non-rellable bottles and has for an object,the provision of a stop` per which can be made entirely from metallicstampings and which is provided with a tor- 5 tuous path that preventsthe insertion of a tool or other foreign object into the neck of thebottle for the purpose of unseating the valve to refill the bottle.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portionof a bottle embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on an enlargedscale taken on the lines 2-2 in Fig. 1; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectionstaken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is asectional view of a portion of a bottle made in accordance with theconstruction shown in Fig. 2,

and illustrating the poiu'ing position; Fig. 7

is a side elevation of a portion of a bottle showing a modification ofmy invention; Fig. 8 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 8-8 in Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a portion of abottle embodying another modiiication; Fig. 10 is another section takenon an enlarged scale on the lines III-I0 in Fig. 9, and

Figs. 11, 12 and 13, are sections taken on the correspondingly numberedlines in Fig. 10.

Referring now to the illustration in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, Il)designates a bottle, the neck of which has a flanged portion II adjacentthe top thereof and a threaded portion I2 which is disposed beneath theflanged portion. The stopper construction comprises a seat I5, which isdisposed on the bottom of a cup-shaped casing I6 that fits snuglyagainst the inner wall of the bottle. Within the casing there ispositioned a valve I'I that is shown as an inverted cup-shaped memberthat has three arms I8, which bear lightly against the inner wall of thecasing and provide a guide for the valve. Normally, the valve is heldagainst its seat by gravity, but is moved away from the seat when thebottle is tipped for pouring, as is illustrated in Fig. 6. To provide atortuous passageway between the valve casing I6 and the top of thebottle, I have shown a plurality of interconnected members and 2| whichconnect the casing to a top piece 22. The member 2l! is annular in shapeand is provided with spaced arms 25, which extend from the innerperiphery of the annulus. These arms are attached, such as by a swagingoperation, to the member 2I which in turn is cupshaped and which hasspaced arms that are attached to the member 22; the attachment beingmade preferably by swaglng the ends of 55 arms 26 onto the member 22.The top piece 22 is lprovided with a skirt 3i] which extends downwardlyinto the member 2| but which is spaced from the walls thereof andterminates short of the bottom thereof. 'Ihe top piece is also providedwith a laterally extending flange 3l which is spun or otherwise forceddownwardly at its outer periphery and crimped, as at 32, behind theflange II. A washer 33 is interposed between the bottle and top piece tomake a fluid tight joint therebetween, while a cap 34 is threaded ontothe bottle for sealing it.

When the bottle is open and tipped to a pouring position, liquid fiowsin the paths indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6. In such illustration,liquid ows through anI opening 35 past the valve I'I, into the casing I6and thence through the opening 36 in the annular member 20, and betweenthe arms 25 into the space that is exterior of the member 2|. From suchspace, part of the liquid flows between the arms 26 into the cup shapedmember 2| and thence through the skirt 30 and out of the bottle. Anotherpart flows through openings 31 which are formed in the bottom of the toppiece 22, although the latter openings are relatively small and areintended primarily for drainingv any residue that normally would beentrapped by the skirt 3B. They are formed by striking upwardly a smallportion of the part 22 from the bottom wall thereof, as is shownparticularly in Figs. 2 and 6.

The tortuous passageway which is formed by the members 2U and 2Ieliminates the possibility of unseating the valve, by means of a wire,or other tool, that may be inserted through the open end of the bottle.Furthermore, the shape of the valve I'I prevents refilling, for theweight of the liquid in the casing I6 would hold the valve onto itsseat.

A modication of the invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, wherein thebottle is provided with a flange 40, but is not provided with anythreaded portion to which the cap may be attached. Accordingly, in suchcase, instead of ilanging the top piece laterally and downwardly, as isshown in Fig. 2, I extend it upwardly in the form of a cylinder, andprovide an inturned flange 4I adjacent the top thereof. The part 22 isthen anchored to the bottle by a separate piece 42, which is crimpedbehind the ange 40 and which is provided with a threaded part 43 thatclosely engages the projecting portion of the piece 22. The upper end ofthe part 42 may then be flanged inwardly around and crimped as at 44behind the iiange 4I for locking the two parts together. A cap 45 can bethreaded 40"prising two sections, an inturned iiange on the the bottleand provides a casing in which the;

valve 53 is movable. It also provides a valve seat 54. The tortuouspassageway for theliquid is obtained in this modification by a pluralityof. interconnected members 55 and 56. rPhe member 55 is cup-shaped andhas a closed 4bottom tofgether with arms 51 that are attached to thepart 56; the part 56, in turn, has a skirt 58 which extends into thecup-shaped member 55'and:has arms59 which .are bent outwardly anddownwardly-into slots 6U that are-formed at spaced intervals in the wallof the toppiece 52. The slots may be formed by bending portions of thewall of the port 52 inwardly, as is shown at 6I, in Figpll. Thismodified construction is lsimilar in operation to that heretoforedescribed and may be desired by some manufacturers in preference to-theother.

An important advantage of the present invention is the fact that thestopper parts .may vbe madeof sheet metal,.and therefore, theentire hassembly may be economically manufactured. Furthermore, theinterconnectedparts maybe firmly attachedto each other and to thebottleso as to prevent unauthorized removal thereof without breaking theglass.

I claim:-

1.`A stopper for a nonfreiillable bottle, combottom section having avalve seat with an opening therethrough, a floating valve adapted torest on said seat, a downwardly extending skirt carried'by the topksection and of substantially less diameter than the top section and thebottle neck, an intermediate section comprising a tamper-proof shell,loosely surrounding said skirt and secured to the upper section, andfastening means to-secure the upper section to the lower section.

2. A stopper for a non-rellable bottle, comprising two sections ofapproximately the same diameter, and adapted to stand in axialalignment, an inturned flange on the bottom section having a valve seatwith an opening therethrough, a floating valve adapted torest on saidseat, a

downwardly extending skirt carried by the top section and orsubstantially less diameter than the top section, and an intermediatesection comprising a tamper-proof shell loosely surrounding said skirtand secured to the upper section and adapted to limit the movement ofsaid valve when the bottle is upturned, together with fastening means tosecure the upper section to the lower section.

3. A stopper vfor a nonrellable bottle, comprising three sections, theupper section carrying a Harige portion thereon adapted to be crimpedover the upper edge of the bottle neck, and terminating in a downwardlyextending skirt of reduced diameter, a lower section snugly fitting thebottle neck with an inturned flange at the bottom provided with a valveseat and an opening therethrough, adioating valve on said seat, anintermediate section comprising a tamperproof shell loosely surroundingsaid skirt and secured tothe `upper section, and a skeleton framesecuringy said lower-section tothe said shell.

4. fA-stopper for a non-rellable bottle, comprisingthree sections, theupper section of the shell adaptedftoconform A-to the interior of thebottle neck; and anupwardly extending ange portion thereunto be'crimpedover the upper edge of said neck and terminating in a downwardlyextending skirt of reduced diameter,

drainageopenings in .said shell extending substantially from said skirtto the bottle wall, a lower-section snugly fitting the bottle neck withaninturnedflange at the bottom, provided with a valve seat and anopening therethrough, a oating valve onfsaid seat and an intermediatesectioncomprising a tamper-proof shell loosely surroundingsaid skirt andsecured to the upper section, and a skeletonframe securing said lowersectionto said shell.v

5. A stopper foraJ nonerellable bottle,-com prising three sections, theupper section of the shelladapted to conform to the'interior of thebottle neck and Aan upwardly extending ilange portion thereon to becrimped over the upper edge of said neck and terminating in a downwardlyfextending skirt of .reduced diameter, a lower section'snugly fittingthe bottle neck with an inturnedflange at the bottom, provided with a.valve seat A,and an opening therethrough, a oating valve on `said seatand an intermediate section comprising a tamper-proof shell looselysurrounding -said skirt and secured to the upper section, and a skeletonframe securing said lower section to 4`said shell.

PATRICK F. DENNING.

